Device, system and method of communicating upper-layer protocol information

ABSTRACT

Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of communicating upper-layer protocol information. For example, a wireless communication unit to transmit a management frame, e.g., a Traffic Stream Establishment (TSE) frame, including an Upper-Layer-Identification (UPID) element including a control field indicating a protocol of a layer higher than a Media-Access-Control (MAC) layer.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application claims the benefit of and priority from U.S.Provisional Patent application No. 61/380,379, entitled “Method Systemand Apparatus for Communication At Wireless Link”, filed Sep. 7, 2010,the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

A first wireless communication device may transmit one or more datapackets to a second wireless communication device.

Each data packet typically includes a header, e.g., a Logical LinkControl (LLC) header, which includes information defining an upper-layerprotocol to be used for processing the packet. The length of the LLCheader is, for example, eight bytes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in thefigures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, thedimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to otherelements for clarity of presentation. Furthermore, reference numeralsmay be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogouselements. The figures are listed below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustration of a system inaccordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an upper-layer protocolidentification element, in accordance with some demonstrativeembodiments.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a method of wirelesscommunication, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an article of manufacture, inaccordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth in order to provide a thorough understanding of some embodiments.However, it will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the artthat some embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, unitsand/or circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscurethe discussion.

Discussions herein utilizing terms such as, for example, “processing”,“computing”, “calculating”, “determining”, “establishing”, “analyzing”,“checking”, or the like, may refer to operation(s) and/or process(es) ofa computer, a computing platform, a computing system, or otherelectronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transform datarepresented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within thecomputer's registers and/or memories into other data similarlyrepresented as physical quantities within the computer's registersand/or memories or other information storage medium that may storeinstructions to perform operations and/or processes.

The terms “plurality” and “a plurality” as used herein include, forexample, “multiple” or “two or more”. For example, “a plurality ofitems” includes two or more items.

Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with various devices andsystems, for example, a Personal Computer (PC), a desktop computer, amobile computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tabletcomputer, a server computer, a handheld computer, a handheld device, aPersonal Digital Assistant (PDA) device, a handheld PDA device, anon-board device, an off-board device, a hybrid device, a vehiculardevice, a non-vehicular device, a mobile or portable device, a consumerdevice, a non-mobile or non-portable device, a wireless communicationstation, a wireless communication device, a wireless Access Point (AP),a wired or wireless router, a wired or wireless modem, a video device,an audio device, an audio-video (A/V) device, a wired or wirelessnetwork, a wireless area network, a Wireless Video Area Network (WVAN),a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wireless LAN (WLAN), a Personal AreaNetwork (PAN), a Wireless PAN (WPAN), devices and/or networks operatingin accordance with existing Wireless-Gigabit-Alliance (WGA)specifications (Wireless Gigabit Alliance, Inc WiGig MAC and PHYSpecification Version 1.0, April 2010, Final specification) and/orfuture versions and/or derivatives thereof, devices and/or networksoperating in accordance with existing IEEE 802.11 standards (IEEE802.11-2007, IEEE Standard for Information Technology—Telecommunicationsand information exchange between systems—Local and metropolitan areanetworks—Specific requirements, Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium AccessControl (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications; IEEE802.11n-2009, IEEE Standard for InformationTechnology—Telecommunications and information exchange betweensystems—Local and metropolitan area networks—Specific requirements, Part11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY)specifications, Amendment 5: Enhancements for Higher Throughput;IEEE802.11 task group ac (TGac) (“IEEE802.11-09/0308r12—TGac ChannelModel Addendum Document”), IEEE 802.11 task group ad (TGad)) (IEEEP802.11ad/D1.0 Draft Standard for InformationTechnology—Telecommunications and Information Exchange BetweenSystems—Local and Metropolitan Area Networks—Specific Requirements—Part11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY)Specifications—Amendment 5: Enhancements for Very High Throughput in the60 GHz Band), and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof, devicesand/or networks operating in accordance with existing IEEE 802.16standards (IEEE-Std 802.16, 2009 Edition, Air Interface for FixedBroadband Wireless Access Systems; IEEE-Std 802.16e, 2005 Edition,Physical and Medium Access Control Layers for Combined Fixed and MobileOperation in Licensed Bands; amendment to IEEE Std 802.16-2009,developed by Task Group m) and/or future versions and/or derivativesthereof, devices and/or networks operating in accordance with existingWireless-WirelessHD™ specifications and/or future versions and/orderivatives thereof, units and/or devices which are part of the abovenetworks, one way and/or two-way radio communication systems, cellularradio-telephone communication systems, a cellular telephone, a wirelesstelephone, a Personal Communication Systems (PCS) device, a PDA devicewhich incorporates a wireless communication device, a mobile or portableGlobal Positioning System (GPS) device, a device which incorporates aGPS receiver or transceiver or chip, a device which incorporates an RFIDelement or chip, a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transceiver ordevice, a Single Input Multiple Output (SIMO) transceiver or device, aMultiple Input Single Output (MISO) transceiver or device, a devicehaving one or more internal antennas and/or external antennas, DigitalVideo Broadcast (DVB) devices or systems, multi-standard radio devicesor systems, a wired or wireless handheld device (e.g., BlackBerry, PalmTreo), a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) device, or the like.

Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with one or more types ofwireless communication signals and/or systems, for example, RadioFrequency (RF), Infra Red (IR), Frequency-Division Multiplexing (FDM),Orthogonal FDM (OFDM), Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM), Time-DivisionMultiple Access (TDMA), Extended TDMA (E-TDMA), General Packet RadioService (GPRS), extended GPRS, Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA),Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), CDMA 2000, single-carrier CDMA, multi-carrierCDMA, Multi-Carrier Modulation (MDM), Discrete Multi-Tone (DMT),Bluetooth®, Global Positioning System (GPS), Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, ZigBee™,Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), 2G,2.5G, 3G, 3.5G, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), or thelike. Other embodiments may be used in various other devices, systemsand/or networks.

The term “wireless device” as used herein includes, for example, adevice capable of wireless communication, a communication device capableof wireless communication, a communication station capable of wirelesscommunication, a portable or non-portable device capable of wirelesscommunication, or the like. In some demonstrative embodiments, awireless device may be or may include a peripheral that is integratedwith a computer, or a peripheral that is attached to a computer. In somedemonstrative embodiments, the term “wireless device” may optionallyinclude a wireless service.

Some demonstrative embodiments may be used in conjunction with suitablelimited-range or short-range wireless communication networks, forexample, a wireless area network, a “piconet”, a WPAN, a WVAN and thelike. Other embodiments may be used in conjunction with any othersuitable wireless communication network.

Some demonstrative embodiments may be used in conjunction with awireless communication network communicating over a frequency band of 60GHz. However, other embodiments may be implemented utilizing any othersuitable wireless communication frequency bands, for example, anExtremely High Frequency (EHF) band (the millimeter wave (mmwave)frequency band), e.g., a frequency band within the frequency band ofbetween 30 Ghz and 300 GHZ, a WLAN frequency band, a WPAN frequencyband, a frequency band according to the WGA specification, and the like.

The term “antenna”, as used herein, may include any suitableconfiguration, structure and/or arrangement of one or more antennaelements, components, units, assemblies and/or arrays. In someembodiments, the antenna may implement transmit and receivefunctionalities using separate transmit and receive antenna elements. Insome embodiments, the antenna may implement transmit and receivefunctionalities using common and/or integrated transmit/receiveelements. The antenna may include an antenna covered by a quasi-omniantenna pattern. For example, the antenna may include at least one of aphased array antenna, a single element antenna, a set of switched beamantennas, and the like.

The phrase “quasi-omni antenna pattern”, as used herein, may include anoperating mode with a widest practical beamwidth attainable for aparticular antenna.

The term “station” (STA), as used herein, may include any logical entitythat is a singly addressable instance of a medium access control (MAC)and a physical layer (PHY) interface to a wireless medium (WM).

The phrase “access point” (AP), as used herein, may include an entitythat contains one station (STA) and provides access to distributionservices, via the WM for associated STAs.

The term “association”, as used herein may relate to a service used toestablish access point/station (AP/STA) mapping and enable STAinvocation of distribution system services (DSSs).

The term “authentication”, as used herein may relate to a service usedto establish the identity of one station (STA) as a member of the set ofSTAs authorized to associate with another STA.

The term “beamforming”, as used herein, may relate to a spatialfiltering mechanism, which may be used at a transmitter to improve thereceived signal power or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at an intendedreceiver.

The phrase “non-access-point (non-AP) station (STA)”, as used herein,may relate to a STA that is not contained within an AP.

The phrase “service period” (SP), as used herein, may relate to acontiguous time during which one or more downlink individually addressedframes are transmitted to a quality of service (QoS) station (STA)and/or one or more transmission opportunities (TXOPs) are granted to thesame STA.

The phrase “directional band” (DBand), as used herein, may relate to afrequency band wherein the Channel starting frequency is above 45 GHz.

The phrase “Ultra Band (UB)” may relate to the frequency band of 57-66GHz.

The phrase “mmWave STA (STA)” may relate to a STA having a radiotransmitter, which is operating on a channel that is within the UB.

The phrase “personal basic service set” (PBSS), as used herein, mayrelate to a basic service set (BSS) that forms a self-contained network.For example, the PBSS may operate in the DBand, and may include one PBSScontrol point (PCP).

The phrase “PBSS control point” (PCP), as used herein, may include anentity that contains one station (STA) and coordinates access to the WMby STAs that are members of a PBSS.

The phrase “non-PCP station (STA)”, as used herein, may relate to a STAthat is not also a PCP.

The phrase “non-PCP/non-AP station (STA)”, as used herein, may relate toa STA that is not a PCP and that is not an AP.

The phrase “PCP/AP”, as used herein, may relate to a STA that is a PCPor an AP.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which schematically illustrates a blockdiagram of a system 100 in accordance with some demonstrativeembodiments.

As shown in FIG. 1, in some demonstrative embodiments, system 100 mayinclude a wireless communication network including one or more wirelesscommunication devices, e.g., wireless communication devices 102 and/or130, capable of communicating content, data, information and/or signalsover one or more suitable wireless communication links, for example, aradio channel, an IR channel, a RF channel, a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi)channel, and the like. One or more elements of system 100 may optionallybe capable of communicating over any suitable wired communication links.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication devices 102and/or 130 may include, for example, may include, for example, a PC, adesktop computer, a mobile computer, a laptop computer, a notebookcomputer, a tablet computer, a server computer, a handheld computer, ahandheld device, a PDA device, a handheld PDA device, an on-boarddevice, an off-board device, a hybrid device (e.g., combining cellularphone functionalities with PDA device functionalities), a consumerdevice, a vehicular device, a non-vehicular device, a mobile or portabledevice, a non-mobile or non-portable device, a cellular telephone, a PCSdevice, a PDA device which incorporates a wireless communication device,a mobile or portable GPS device, a DVB device, a relatively smallcomputing device, a non-desktop computer, a “Carry Small Live Large”(CSLL) device, an Ultra Mobile Device (UMD), an Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC),a Mobile Internet Device (MID), an “Origami” device or computing device,a device that supports Dynamically Composable Computing (DCC), acontext-aware device, a video device, an audio device, an AN device, aSet-Top-Box (STB), a Blu-ray disc (BD) player, a BD recorder, a DigitalVideo Disc (DVD) player, a High Definition (HD) DVD player, a DVDrecorder, a HD DVD recorder, a Personal Video Recorder (PVR), abroadcast HD receiver, a video source, an audio source, a video sink, anaudio sink, a stereo tuner, a broadcast radio receiver, a flat paneldisplay, a Personal Media Player (PMP), a digital video camera (DVC), adigital audio player, a speaker, an audio receiver, an audio amplifier,a gaming device, a data source, a data sink, a Digital Still camera(DSC), a media player, a Smartphone, a television, a music player, orthe like.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication devices 102and/or 130 may include wireless communication units 104 and/or 132,respectively, to perform wireless communication with wirelesscommunication devices 102 and/or 130, respectively, and/or with one ormore other wireless communication devices, e.g., as described below.

Wireless communication devices 102 and/or 130 may also include, forexample, one or more of a processor 114, an input unit 106, an outputunit 108, a memory unit 110, and a storage unit 112. Wirelesscommunication devices 102 and/or 130 may optionally include othersuitable hardware components and/or software components. In somedemonstrative embodiments, some or all of the components of one or moreof wireless communication devices 102 and/or 130 may be enclosed in acommon housing or packaging, and may be interconnected or operablyassociated using one or more wired or wireless links. In otherembodiments, components of one or more of wireless communication devices102 and/or 130 may be distributed among multiple or separate devices.

Processor 114 includes, for example, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), aDigital Signal Processor (DSP), one or more processor cores, asingle-core processor, a dual-core processor, a multiple-core processor,a microprocessor, a host processor, a controller, a plurality ofprocessors or controllers, a chip, a microchip, one or more circuits,circuitry, a logic unit, an Integrated Circuit (IC), anApplication-Specific IC (ASIC), or any other suitable multi-purpose orspecific processor or controller. Processor 114 executes instructions,for example, of an Operating System (OS) of wireless communicationdevices 102 and/or 130 and/or of one or more suitable applications.

Input unit 106 includes, for example, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, atouch-pad, a track-ball, a stylus, a microphone, or other suitablepointing device or input device. Output unit 108 includes, for example,a monitor, a screen, a flat panel display, a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)display unit, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) display unit, a plasmadisplay unit, one or more audio speakers or earphones, or other suitableoutput devices.

Memory unit 110 includes, for example, a Random Access Memory (RAM), aRead Only Memory (ROM), a Dynamic RAM (DRAM), a Synchronous DRAM(SD-RAM), a flash memory, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, acache memory, a buffer, a short term memory unit, a long term memoryunit, or other suitable memory units. Storage unit 112 includes, forexample, a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a Compact Disk (CD)drive, a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive, or other suitable removable ornon-removable storage units. Memory unit 110 and/or storage unit 112,for example, may store data processed by wireless communication devices102 and/or 130.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication units 104 and132 may include, or may be associated with, one or more antennas 105 and133, respectively. Antennas 105 and/or 133 may include any type ofantennas suitable for transmitting and/or receiving wirelesscommunication signals, blocks, frames, transmission streams, packets,messages and/or data. For example, antennas 105 and/or 133 may includeany suitable configuration, structure and/or arrangement of one or moreantenna elements, components, units, assemblies and/or arrays. Antennas105 and/or 133 may include an antenna covered by a quasi-omni antennapattern. For example, antennas 105 and/or 133 may include at least oneof a phased array antenna, a single element antenna, a set of switchedbeam antennas, and the like. In some embodiments, antennas 105 and/or133 may implement transmit and receive functionalities using separatetransmit and receive antenna elements. In some embodiments, antennas 105and/or 133 may implement transmit and receive functionalities usingcommon and/or integrated transmit/receive elements.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication units 104and/or 132 include, for example, one or more wireless transmitters,receivers and/or transceivers able to send and/or receive wirelesscommunication signals, RF signals, frames, blocks, transmission streams,packets, messages, data items, and/or data. For example, wirelesscommunication units 104 and/or 132 may include or may be implemented aspart of a wireless Network Interface Card (NIC), and the like.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication devices 102and 130 may establish a wireless communication link. The link mayinclude an uplink and/or a downlink. The downlink may include, forexample, a unidirectional link from an AP to one or more non-AP stations(STAs) or a unidirectional link from a non-AP Destination STA to anon-AP Source STA. The uplink may include, for example, a unidirectionallink from a non-AP STA to an AP or a unidirectional link from a non-APSource STA to a non-AP Destination STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication devices 102and/or 130 may perform the functionality of mmWave stations (“mSTA”).

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication unit 104 maytransmit one or more packets to wireless communication unit 132.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication unit 104 maytransmit a relatively short packet. For example, the packet may have asize of less than 100 bytes, e.g., a size of 64 bytes. According tothese embodiments, a length of a header, e.g., a Logical Link Control(LLC) header, which includes information defining an upper-layerprotocol to be used for processing the packet, may not be negligiblewith respect to the length of the packet. For example, the LLC headermay have a length of 8 bytes, which may be 12.5% the length of a 64-bytepacket. Accordingly, it may be inefficient to include the LLC header aspart of the packet

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication unit 104 maybe configured to establish a traffic stream to be used for transmittingpackets to wireless communication unit 132 and, during establishment ofthe traffic stream to indicate to wireless communication device 132 aprotocol of a communication layer higher than a Media-Access-Control(MAC) layer to be used for processing the packets, e.g., as described indetail below. According to these embodiments, wireless communicationunit 104 may transmit the packets according to the protocol, forexample, while not including the LLC header in each of the packets.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication unit 104 maytransmit a management frame, e.g., a Traffic Stream Establishment (TSE)frame, to establish a traffic stream with wireless communication unit132. The TSE frame may include an Upper-Layer-Identification-Element(UPID) including a control field indicating a protocol (“upper layerprotocol”) of a layer higher than a Media-Access-Control (MAC) layer,which may be used for processing one or more data frames and/or packetsassociated with the traffic stream, e.g., as described in detail below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the TSE frame may include anAdd-Traffic-Specification (ADDTS) frame. For example, the ADDTS framemay include an ADDTS request frame or an ADDTS response frame.

In some demonstrative embodiments, after establishing the trafficstream, wireless communication unit 104 may transmit one or more datapackets, for example, MAC service data units (MSDUs), configuredaccording to the protocol indicated by the control field.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the control field may include a LLCheader field.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the LLC header field may include, forexample, a LLC header with eight-bit control field withSub-Network-Access-Protocol (SNAP), a LLC header with eight-bit controlfield without SNAP, or a LLC header with sixteen-bit control field,e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the TSE frame may include a bitindicating whether or not one or more MSDUs are to include the controlfield, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication unit 132 maydetermine the upper layer protocol during the establishment of thetraffic stream, e.g., based on the UPID of the TSE frame. Wirelesscommunication unit 132 may utilize the upper layer protocol indicated bythe UPID for processing one or more packets received from wirelesscommunication unit 104 via the established traffic stream.

Reference is made to FIG. 2, which schematically illustrates a UPID 200,in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. For example, UPID 200may be included as part of an ADDTS Request frame, an ADDTS Responseframe, and the like, which may be exchanged, e.g., between devices 102and 130 (FIG. 1), during establishment of a traffic stream.

In some demonstrative embodiments, UPID 200 may include an element IDfield 202, which may have a predefined value indicating that UPID 200 isto be used for upper layer protocol identification. For example, field202 may have a length of one octet.

In some demonstrative embodiments, UPID 200 may include a length field204 having a value indicating a length of UPID 200 or the length of oneor more fields of UPID 200, e.g., subsequent to length field 204. Forexample, length field 204 may have a length of 1 octet.

In some demonstrative embodiments, UPID 200 may include a No-LLC field206 having a value indicating whether or not one or more subsequentlytransmitted MSDUs will include a

LLC header. For example, field 206 may be set to a first predefinedvalue, e.g., “1”, to indicate that the one or more MSDUs do not includethe LLC header. Field 206 may be set to a second predefined value, e.g.,“0”, to indicate that the one or more MSDUs do include the LLC header.Field 206 may have for example, a length of one octet.

In some demonstrative embodiments, UPID 200 may include a LLC headercopy field 208 having a including information indicating an upper layerprotocol to be applied to the one or more subsequent MSDUs. For example,field 208 may include a LLC header. Field 208 may be set to “0” if, forexample, No-LLC field 206 is set to “0”. Field 208 may include, forexample, a copy of LLC header field values if, for example, the No-LLCfield 206 is set to “1”.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a size LLC header copy field 208 maybe related to a type of LLC header included in field 208, e.g., asfollows:

TABLE 1 LLC header copy LLC header type field size (octets) LLC headerwith 8-bit control field without 3 Sub-Network-Access-Protocol (SNAP)LLC header with 8 bit field with SNAP 8 LLC header with 16 bit controlfield 4

For example, field 208 may include the LLC header, e.g., as defined byIEEE Std 802.2, 1998 Edition (R2003)—IEEE Standard for Informationtechnology Telecommunications and information exchange between systemsLocal and metropolitan area networks, Specific requirements, and thelike.

In other embodiments, field 208 may include any other suitableinformation, e.g., in addition to or instead of the LLC header and/orany other LLC header type, identifying and/or defining the upper layerprotocol.

Referring back to FIG. 1, in some demonstrative embodiments, wirelesscommunication unit 104 may transmit an ADDTS Request frame including aTraffic Specification (TSPEC) element specifying a Traffic ID (TID) or aTraffic Stream ID (TSID), and a U-PID element, e.g., UPID element 200(FIG. 2), to indicate the upper layer protocol associated with the TIDor TSID. In other embodiments, the ADDTS request frame may not includethe UPID element.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication unit 104 maytransmit an ADDTS Response frame including a TSPEC element specifying aTID or a TSID, and a U-PID element, e.g., UPID element 200 (FIG. 2), toindicate the upper layer protocol associated with the TID or TSID. TheADDTS response frame may not include the UPID element, for example, ifthe ADDTS request frame does not include a UPID element.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication unit 104 mayinclude U-PID element 200 (FIG. 2) in ADDTS Request and/or ADDTSResponse frames transmitted to indicate the protocol responsible forhandling MSDUs corresponding to the TID/TSID indicated within the framecarrying the U-PID element.

Wireless communication unit 104 may not include UPID element 200 (FIG.2) as part of an ADDTS Request frame, for example, if wirelesscommunication unit 104 is to transmit MSDUs corresponding to theTID/TSID including an LLC protocol header to be used for upper layerprotocol selection.

Wireless communication unit 104 may not include UPID element 200 (FIG.2) as part of an ADDTS response frame, for example, if a U-PID elementwas not included in a corresponding ADDTS Request frame received bywireless communication unit 104.

In some demonstrative embodiments, if wireless communication unit 104receives an U-PID element included in an ADDTS Request frame, thenwireless communication unit 104 may transmit a ADDTS response frame witha Status Code of success and having a LLC header copy field, e.g., field208 (FIG. 2), including the same LLC header copy field included in theUPID element of the ADDTS Request frame.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication unit 104 mayreject the ADDTS request frame, e.g., to reject a setting of the U-PIDelement received within the ADDTS Request frame. For example, wirelesscommunication unit 104 may set a Status Code field of the ADDTS responseframe to REJECT_U-PID_SETTING.

Reference is made to FIG. 3, which schematically illustrates a method ofwireless communication, in accordance with some demonstrativeembodiments. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations of themethod of FIG. 3 may be performed by any suitable wireless communicationsystem e.g., system 100 (FIG. 1); wireless communication device, e.g.,devices 102 and/or 130 (FIG. 1); and/or wireless communication unit,e.g., wireless communication units 104 and/or 132 (FIG. 1).

As indicated at block 302, the method may include indicating a protocol(“upper layer protocol”) of a communication layer higher than a MAClayer during establishment of a traffic stream.

As indicated at block 304, indicating the upper layer protocol mayinclude transmitting a management frame, e.g., a TSE frame, including aUPID element indicating the upper layer protocol. For example, wirelesscommunication unit 104 (FIG. 1) may transmit a TSE frame including UPIDelement 200 (FIG. 2), e.g., as described above.

As indicated at block 306, transmitting the TSE frame may includetransmitting an ADDTS frame including the UPID element. For example,wireless communication unit 104 (FIG. 1) may transmit an ADDTS requestframe or an ADDTS response frame including UPID element 200 (FIG. 2),e.g., as described above.

As indicated at block 308, the method may include receiving a responseindicating whether the UPID is confirmed or rejected. For example,wireless communication unit 104 (FIG. 1) may transmit the ADDTS requestincluding the UPID element and receive a response, e.g., an ADDTSresponse frame, indicating whether the UPID is confirmed or rejected,e.g., as described above.

As indicated at block 310, the method may include transmitting one ormore data frames according to the upper layer protocol. For example,wireless communication device 104 (FIG. 1) may transmit one or moreMSDUs multiplexed according to the upper layer protocol indicated by theUPID element and/or wireless communication unit 132 (FIG. 1) maydemultiplex the one or more MSDUs according to the upper layer protocolindicated by the UPID element.

Reference is made to FIG. 4, which schematically illustrates an articleof manufacture 400, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.Article 400 may include a machine-readable storage medium 402 to storelogic 404, which may be used, for example, to perform at least part ofthe functionality of wireless communication unit 104 (FIG. 1), wirelesscommunication device 102 (FIG. 1), wireless communication unit 132 (FIG.1), wireless communication device 130 (FIG. 1); and/or to perform one ormore operations of the method of FIG. 3.

In some demonstrative embodiments, article 400 and/or machine-readablestorage medium 402 may include one or more types of computer-readablestorage media capable of storing data, including volatile memory,non-volatile memory, removable or non-removable memory, erasable ornon-erasable memory, writeable or re-writeable memory, and the like. Forexample, machine-readable storage medium 402 may include, RAM, DRAM,Double-Data-Rate DRAM (DDR-DRAM), SDRAM, static RAM (SRAM), ROM,programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electricallyerasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), Compact Disk ROM (CD-ROM), CompactDisk Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewriteable (CD-RW), flash memory(e.g., NOR or NAND flash memory), content addressable memory (CAM),polymer memory, phase-change memory, ferroelectric memory,silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, a disk, a floppydisk, a hard drive, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a card, a magneticcard, an optical card, a tape, a cassette, and the like. Thecomputer-readable storage media may include any suitable media involvedwith downloading or transferring a computer program from a remotecomputer to a requesting computer carried by data signals embodied in acarrier wave or other propagation medium through a communication link,e.g., a modem, radio or network connection.

In some demonstrative embodiments, logic 404 may include instructions,data, and/or code, which, if executed by a machine, may cause themachine to perform a method, process and/or operations as describedherein. The machine may include, for example, any suitable processingplatform, computing platform, computing device, processing device,computing system, processing system, computer, processor, or the like,and may be implemented using any suitable combination of hardware,software, firmware, and the like.

In some demonstrative embodiments, logic 404 may include, or may beimplemented as, software, a software module, an application, a program,a subroutine, instructions, an instruction set, computing code, words,values, symbols, and the like. The instructions may include any suitabletype of code, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code,executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like. Theinstructions may be implemented according to a predefined computerlanguage, manner or syntax, for instructing a processor to perform acertain function. The instructions may be implemented using any suitablehigh-level, low-level, object-oriented, visual, compiled and/orinterpreted programming language, such as C, C++, Java, BASIC, Matlab,Pascal, Visual BASIC, assembly language, machine code, and the like.

Functions, operations, components and/or features described herein withreference to one or more embodiments, may be combined with, or may beutilized in combination with, one or more other functions, operations,components and/or features described herein with reference to one ormore other embodiments, or vice versa.

While certain features of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, andequivalents may occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, tobe understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all suchmodifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device comprising: a wireless communicationunit to transmit a Traffic Stream Establishment (TSE) frame including anUpper-Layer-Identification (UPID) element including a control fieldindicating a protocol of a layer higher than a Media-Access-Control(MAC) layer.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said control fieldcomprises a Logical-Link-Control (LLC) header field.
 3. The device ofclaim 2, wherein said LLC header field includes a LLC header witheight-bit control field with Sub-Network-Access-Protocol (SNAP), a LLCheader with eight-bit control field without SNAP, or a LLC header withsixteen-bit control field.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said TSEframe comprises an Add-Traffic-Specification (ADDTS) frame.
 5. Thedevice of claim 4, wherein said ADDTS frame comprises an ADDTS requestframe.
 6. The device of claim 4, wherein said ADDTS frame comprises anADDTS response frame.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said TSE framecomprising a bit indicating whether or not one or more MAC service dataunits (MSDUs) are to include said control field.
 8. The device of claim1, wherein said wireless communication unit is to transmit one or moreMAC service data units (MSDUs) configured according to the protocolindicated by the control field.
 9. A method comprising: indicating aprotocol of a communication layer higher than a Media-Access-Control(MAC) layer during establishment of a traffic stream.
 10. The method ofclaim 9 comprising transmitting one or more MAC service data units(MSDUs) configured according to the indicated protocol.
 11. The methodof claim 9, wherein said indicating comprises transmitting anUpper-Layer-Identification (UPID) element including a control fieldindicating said protocol.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein saidcontrol field comprises a Logical-Link-Control (LLC) header field. 13.The method of claim 12, wherein said LLC header field includes a LLCheader with eight-bit control field with Sub-Network-Access-Protocol(SNAP), a LLC header with eight-bit control field without SNAP, or a LLCheader with sixteen-bit control field.
 14. The method of claim 11,wherein transmitting said UPID element comprises transmitting a TrafficStream Establishment (TSE) frame including said UPID element.
 15. Themethod of claim 14, wherein said TSE frame comprises anAdd-Traffic-Specification (ADDTS) frame.
 16. The method of claim 15,wherein said ADDTS frame comprises an ADDTS request frame.
 17. Themethod of claim 15, wherein said ADDTS frame comprises an ADDTS responseframe.
 18. A system comprising: a wireless communication device toestablish a traffic stream by transmitting a management frame includinga traffic stream identification (TSID) and an Upper-Layer-Identification(UPID) element indicating a protocol of a communication layer higherthan a Media-Access-Control (MAC) layer for processing one or more dateframes associated with the TSID.
 19. The system of claim 18, whereinsaid UPID element comprises a Logical-Link-Control (LLC) header field.20. The system of claim 19, wherein said LLC header field includes a LLCheader with eight-bit control field with Sub-Network-Access-Protocol(SNAP), a LLC header with eight-bit control field without SNAP, or a LLCheader with sixteen-bit control field.
 21. The system of claim 18,wherein said management frame comprises an Add-Traffic-Specification(ADDTS) frame.
 22. The system of claim 21, wherein said ADDTS framecomprises an ADDTS request frame.
 23. The system of claim 21, whereinsaid ADDTS frame comprises an ADDTS response frame.
 24. The system ofclaim 18, wherein said one or more data frames comprise one or more MACservice data units (MSDUs) configured according to the protocolindicated by the UPID element.